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Snake River Planning Commission approves 162‑unit workforce housing project, requires county to secure Denver Water property or easements for roundabout
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Summary
The commission approved a Class 4 Location and Extent application for six workforce housing buildings totaling 162 apartment units on 10.89 acres in the White River National Forest, adding a condition that the county obtain Denver Water property or easements to build a required roundabout and infrastructure; the vote was 3-1.
The Snake River Planning Commission on Nov. 21 approved a Class 4 Location and Extent application to build six workforce housing buildings containing 162 apartment units, a community building, a bus stop and two U.S. Forest Service administrative buildings on 10.89 acres within the White River National Forest in Summit County.
Planning staff recommended approval of Planning Case PLN24-066, citing conformance with applicable master plans and compatibility with surrounding land uses. Commissioners discussed additional safeguards before voting to approve the application with five findings and 10 conditions.
Commissioner Noah Landwehr moved to approve the request; Commissioner Vincent Valentin seconded. The motion passed 3-1, with Chair Greg Roy casting the lone dissenting vote.
The commission adopted a set of conditions intended to manage construction, traffic and public safety. Those conditions require: a grading and excavation (GE) permit and building permits for all construction; a traffic management and control plan for the roundabout and site before issuance of the GE permit; completion of the roundabout before the Certificate of Occupancy for the first residential building; workforce‑housing occupancy restrictions before the first Certificate of Occupancy; installation of safety fencing above retaining walls along Forest Canyon Road; either construction of a trail and stairway to the Forest Canyon Road cul‑de‑sac or installation of fencing to prevent creation of a social trail; installation of dumpsters and enclosures for each building prior to each building's Certificate of Occupancy; and inspection of exterior lighting to ensure conformance with Summit County Land Use and Development Code prior to each Certificate of Occupancy.
Crucially, the commission added a tenth condition requiring that, prior to issuance of any building permit, the County acquire the Denver Water property or obtain the necessary easements to install the roundabout and the related utility and drainage infrastructure. The condition ties final permitting to the county's ability to secure the right‑of‑way or easements needed for the project entrance and infrastructure.
The minutes show a minor case‑number inconsistency: the staff recommendation references Planning Case PLN24-066, while the motion in the minutes refers to PLN23-094. The commission's action, the stated findings and the conditions described in the record align with the PLN24-066 project summary provided by staff.
Planning staff and county departments will oversee compliance with the GE permit, traffic plan and construction conditions before occupancy. The commission had no work session items. Staff member Susan Lee invited commissioners to the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee meeting set for Dec. 10, 2024. The meeting was adjourned at 7:37 p.m.; minutes were submitted by Margaret Citak.